Technological advances over the last 50 years have provided individuals with the tools to accomplish tasks more efficiently. While such advances have provided the necessary means to conduct business or personal tasks faster and easier, such innovation has resulted in a complex and fast-paced society. For example, smart phone technology has been developed to allow users the ability to be technologically connected to clients, co-workers, or employers when not physically at their work site. While such technology makes life simpler in many respects, the fact that the user is continuously “wired” or “connected” adds a certain amount of stress, as there is no down time in which the individual does not have to answer to the demands of clients, co-workers, or bosses.
Stress is usually defined as the “feeling” a person gets when overwhelmed or is undergoing life changing events. In fact, any type of event, either big or small, that may pose a threat to an individual's well being acts as a stressor and results in a stress response. Stress response is the body's mechanism for handling some type of trigger event, thereby allowing the body to respond. The stress response allows the individual to accomplish tasks efficiently and provides the individual the ability to react in dangerous situations in which the reaction must be automatic and swift. Accordingly, when a stress event occurs, there are definite physiological reactions that take place in the body. For example, stress situations often produce flight or fight stress reaction chemicals, such as cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenalin. The production of these chemicals results in changes in blood pressure and heart rate, changes in breathing, and changes in muscular functioning. While changes in these systems are beneficial in the short term, long term stresses can result in pathological conditions that are harmful. Additionally, the inability to handle even short term stress can result in damage to one's physical and mental health.
Since individuals have different coping skills, treating stress has been accomplished in a variety of manners. In severe stress related diseases, and for individuals who can not find other relief means, pharmacological agents are used. These medications, however, are not always effective and can result in developing a drug dependency. Accordingly, a non-pharmacological method for reducing stress is needed.